Android Pay gets festive features for UK users

Google has today announced several new features for the Android Pay contactless service which will specifically target the UK market.

The features will be rolling out from today and include a nice festive treat to help you get into the Christmas spirit. The first two are developed in co-operation with Transport for London (TfL) and offer notifications to help out with tube journeys in the British capital. You’ll now get a notification the very next day if you forget to tap out and get charged for an incomplete journey, allowing you to get in touch with TfL and request a refund. The second new feature is a daily travel summary which will be available to view within the application at any time. You’ll be able to do things such as monitor payments and check journeys to see how you much spend in an average working week.

Google is also bringing Android Pay support into the Uber application, allowing UK users to now select the service as an alternative payment method. From next week, both companies will be running a promotion where you get 50% off your next 10 rides, providing you use Android Pay as a payment method.

The last feature is a festive treat, as Google is also running a special Christmas promotion from inside the Android Pay app. For every completed transaction within the application, users will be awarded with virtual crackers that could contain one of 100,000 gift cards. The prizes include a £10 Costa Coffee gift card, a pair of ODEON Cinema tickets and even a £500 House of Fraser gift card. Additionally, you’ll get a free £3 gift card for Costa Coffee just by opening the first five crackers.